Many beginning meditators find themselves falling asleep
when they attempt to meditate. This commonly is because they have not
learned to tease out the inner alert focus of meditation from the relaxation
response that occurs prior to sleep.

When we compare the journey through the Conscious, Subconscious,
Metaconscious, and Superconscious bands of the mind for sleep, meditation
and hypnosis, we find common themes of relaxation of the body, withdrawal
of energy from the external senses, and focus within on inner imagery.
This is shown in the table below.

Atma Dhyan, Conscious awareness of each vehicle of the Superconscious
mind, union with the Soul

Responding to suggestions to interact with archetypal images
of the Superconscious mind

Seven Helpful Factors

If the inner focus of alertness is not maintained in
meditation, the meditator drifts either into a sleep state, or into a
passive state of trance. Since little or no useful personal or spiritual
development occurs in either liminal state, it is important for the meditator
to learn how to stay inwardly alert while going on the inner journey of
meditation.

First, you should meditate when you are awake and
alert. Meditation for this reason may be most vital upon arising in
the morning, as opposed to evenings when you may be tired from your
work or other activities of the day.

Second, if you meditate with a full stomach, much
of your energy will be diverted to digestion and less will be available
for meditation. You are more prone to fall asleep when you meditate
right after eating. If you have eaten, you will likely have better
results if you wait two to three hours after a meal.

Third, if you take alcohol or other drug within
a 24 to 48 hour period before meditating, they may distort your meditation
experience, increase your chances of entering either a sleep state
or passive trance state, and often deaden or dull your inner sensitivity.
Since meditation is supposed to be under your control, we do not advocate
meditating while under the influence of intoxicants, and strongly
recommend that if you are serious about meditation that you eliminate
the use of these substances from your lifestyle altogether. Long term
use of intoxicants may damage your brain, moreover, and make you less
sensitive to the subtle sensory experiences of meditation.

Fourth, if you meditate lying down or in a reclining
chair, your established association with the prone state and sleep
may make it more likely for you to nod off during meditation. You
may get better results if you sit upright in a cross-legged pose,
in a straight-backed chair or a sofa. If you have back problems, it
is all right to support your back against a chair or wall when you
meditate.

Fifth, if you do hatha yoga or martial arts poses,
followed by some breathing exercises before meditate, you may find
you are able to better concentrate your mind and stay alert longer.

Sixth, make sure you take care of your basic needs
before sitting down to meditation. If you don't get sufficient rest,
you will be more prone to fall asleep. If you aren't getting enough
to eat, your meditations will be about food. If you aren't meeting
your sexual needs, your meditation sessions may be rich encounters
with your sexual fantasies.

Seventh, how you meditate may determine whether
you will tend to drift off into sleep or a trance state. Following
a thought bubble mantra with your attention, repeating a mantra mentally
(japa), focusing within and listening for inner guidance (receptive
meditation), absorbing your attention in the breath, or following
inner light and sound may more likely to promote dozing off than forms
of meditation that involve concentration or inner alertness (mindfulness).

The Hansa Method

The Sanskrit word, hansa, means swan. This is a style
of breathing that will help you concentrate and remain alert in meditation.
You can use it to bring yourself back to focus when you start to drift
off, and progressively deepen your awareness in meditation. Here's how
you do it:

To begin to be aware of this breath, make a sniffing
noise with your nostrils. You should be bringing air into your nostrils
no further than one fingerbreadth, about 3/4 to one inch.

When you have the urge to breathe, breathe normally,
and then go back to this little sniffing breath. (Note: you should
not be making a full inhalation as you sniff, as this will induce
a state of hyperventilation. If feel dizziness or tingling, stop:
you are sniffing too deeply. The sniff breath should not pass into
your lungs at all.)

The first phase of the hansa breath is to help you
concentrate your attention. Here you sniff into the focus of your
concentration to help you sharpen your focus. When your mind has become
finely concentrated, you move to the second phase, which is the shift
of awareness.

In the shift of awareness phase, you will silently
think han as you sniff in, and sa as you sniff out,
then watch the shift of awareness. You will simply witness whatever
comes into your awareness as you shift this focus. Gradually, you
will progressively deepen your awareness, remaining inwardly alert
as you move to deeper bands of your mind. Notice you control the degree
of your deepening.

In the third phase, you will bring your attention
back, doing little sniff breaths with the sound of huhout
onlyand watch the change of awareness as you lower your attention
back to your grounded state of awareness.

If you start to drift off, do a quick sniff breath.
This will bring you back to the state of inner alertness.

As you progress in meditation, you will be able
to actively concentrate your attention wherever you chose. You can
then use the sniff breath to keep you alert within.

If you can control your inner alertness in meditation,
you will avoid falling asleep and wasting your valuable meditation time.
You may also find yourself less likely to fall asleep if you observe the
seven helpful factors, and use the hansa method to help you stay awake.